Brittany’s history
The earliest evidence of human occupation in Armorica dates back to the Palaeolithic period (700 000 BC). In 56 BC, after the defeat
of the Veneti by Caesar, the whole country was annexed by Rome for 4 centuries. The Bretons, living in what is now Great Britain,
emigrated to Armorica in the 5th century. They colonised and revitalised the region, converting it to Christianity. They
also “re-Celticised” it renaming it “Little Britain” (Britannia Minor). Celtic expansion continued until the 9th century. In 845,
Nominoë defeated Charles the Bald, King of the Franks. He offered Brittany virtually total independence. Following the defeat of the
Normans, the Duchy of Brittany was created in 939. From 1364 to 1468, Brittany enjoyed a golden age under the rule of the Dukes of
Montfort during a period of material wealth and considerable intellectual and artistic richness.
Union with France
In 1491, Duchess Anne was married to Charles VIII and subsequently Louis XII, King of France from 1499. This was a first step towards
the unification of Brittany and France, definitively confirmed by publication in 1532 of the edict of the Union of Brittany with
France. In 1675, in the reign of Louis XIV, “the stamp duty revolt” challenged indirect taxation and was brutally repressed.
The Brittany parliament was exiled to Vannes. A provincial administrator was appointed to Brittany in 1688. From 1760 to 1770,
the struggle between the Duke d’Aiguillon and de la Charolais, the procureur général and king’s representative, demonstrated
parliamentary opposition to the monarchy. In 1789, the Revolution was generally welcomed in Brittany. From 1793 and the execution
of Louis XVI, however, part of Brittany switched to supporting the Chouannerie movement which fought against the revolutionaries.
A rediscovered heritage
In the 20th century Brittany paid a heavy price during both world wars. In the first conflict 300 000 Bretons were killed. By the
end of the Second World War, numerous towns had been completely destroyed. The region benefited from “Les Trente Glorieuses”, a
thirty-year boom period after the war, enjoying major economic development and rediscovering its culture and traditions.
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